The voltage fluctuated and the refrigerator made sounds. Mrs. Gupta said in an annoying tone, “I am fed up with this now. We urgently need a stabilizer or fridge would just blow up some day and take me with it as well.” Mr. Gupta laughed and nodded in assurance. He had a comfortable job now. He was just back from Qatar after his training and was expecting an appointment letter soon. He was a prematurely retired railway engineer. His work in Railways was tiresome and he was just paid 30,000 for that. All his three children were grown up and both daughters were to be married. Their son wished to do B.Tech. The kind of salary he was getting in railways, frankly speaking, couldn’t meet all of that. Moreover they didn’t have a voltage stabilizer. Mrs. Gupta needed a washing machine, her wrinkled palms did, but she never asked for one. Mr. Mehta had a scooter. When the whole family wanted to go for shopping to Sarojini Market, Mr. and Mrs. Gupta would invite their youngest daughter, who was 18, to accompany them on scooter. To which she would just agree by silence. Their son and other daughter would board the metro train. The special thing about this family was that no one ever complained about all this. They always switched on the old fan when they couldn’t take the silence. Their daughters rarely talked to the colony guys or to each other, its generally rich sisters who gossip and discuss their crush. They just wished to be married off somewhere while still clean. Their son desperately wanted to complete his B.Tech and engage himself in some job. A 2,00,000 rank in AIEEE did assure him of a 15,000 .p.m job after four years. This was a mild family, who preferred yellow light bulbs over CFLs.
But all this suddenly changed when Mr. Gupta got a job offer from some company in Qatar. He enquired everything about the company, and made sure the company was established and had a repo. The company had been digging oil rigs since last 25 years and had a total work force of 1500 Indians. These folks always prefer Indians, because they demand less and settle for whatever they are allowed to have. But converting Dinar to INR was kind of mesmerizing to Mr. Gupta. Even if he sent home just half the money he earned there, he would still send 50,000 every month. This was a lot more than what he earned all his life in Railways. It didn’t take him much time to decide his priorities. He packed his bags and lifted off to an all-paid trip to Qatar. He stayed there for a month for his training before he came back to Indian. He was told to wait for his Joining Instructions and Appointment letter. Since everything had been smooth like butter, he could easily give a nod to voltage stabilizer, with a smile. He promised his son to buy him a new Laptop and assured him that he wouldn’t need to apply for a study loan. The daughters were happy and had started spending a lot of time together discussing their prince, and how hers was better than the other hers. One can always talk more freely of such desires when one is backed by money. A marriage to poor is just the about the music band, stage and the jaimal. A poor family rarely thinks beyond this when it comes to marriage. Compatibility and intimacy is possibly the last thing in such circumstances. So basically the wheels were turning for Gupta family and everything was going fine and perfect.
It was so, until Mr. Gupta came to know about the restlessness in Libya and adjoining countries. He knew that the only way it could affect him was in a slamming way. And worst part, so it did. He got a call informing him that all the recruitments of his batch were cancelled and he would not be sent any JI or Appointment letter. However he will be notified for any further vacancies that may appear. They were thankful to him for understanding them and his cooperation was appretiated.
It was so, until Mr. Gupta came to know about the restlessness in Libya and adjoining countries. He knew that the only way it could affect him was in a slamming way. And worst part, so it did. He got a call informing him that all the recruitments of his batch were cancelled and he would not be sent any JI or Appointment letter. However he will be notified for any further vacancies that may appear. They were thankful to him for understanding them and his cooperation was appretiated.
*Dreams shattered like glass fell on concrete*
*The flying bird was shot*
*The fruit laden branch fell*
*The fruit laden branch fell*
*The diver got trapped in wave as he was picking the pearl*
Now again Gupta family switched on the old fan and now, sisters didn’t talk when they were alone in room. Now Mr. Gupta’s son has applied for a study loan which includes expense of a laptop and Mr. Gupta got back to editing his resumes and is looking for a new job.
*These are great expectations*
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